Health

DECATUR, Ga. -- All About Developmental Disabilities (AADD), a nonprofit providing support services across Georgia for families living with developmental disabilities, has hired Cathy Burks and Leigh Honeycutt to serve the South Georgia area as Justice Trainers and Transition Support Advocates.

In their new role, they will work with those transitioning out of RoseHaven into community based living residences and they will educate law enforcement officials on how best to deal with individuals with developmental disabilities when they encounter them on emergency or law enforcement calls.

Cathy Burks is an AADD Partners in Policymaking graduate, where she received training on how to be an advocate for her son, who has a developmental disability, and others like him. She has also served with the Governor's Council on Disabilities on the Children’s Freedom Initiative in Washington, D.C.

DECATUR, Ga. -- Two Decatur City schools have been named to Georgia's 2013 SHAPE Honor Roll.

The SHAPE (Student Health and Physical Education) program was created last year to recognize schools that work hard to combat childhood obesity. It challenges students and teachers to make lifestyle improvements in three key areas: nutrition, wellness and physical activity.

(ATLANTA BUSINESS CHRONICLE) -- Public service announcements provided by the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Development Disabilities that target underage drinking, drugs and alcohol abuse are being shown in AMC Theatres and Regal Cinemas across Georgia and in Screenvision Theaters in Columbus.

The ads, which are scheduled to run through June 30, 2014, are part of an initiative led by the department's Division of Addictive Diseases to reduce underage drinking and alcohol-related deaths, according to a statement released by the Georgia agency.

The campaign, referred to as the Alcohol Prevention Project (APP), is funded by a Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment block grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

ATLANTA (AP) - U.S. health officials say middle-aged women are the fastest-growing group of people dying from drug overdoses.

For many decades, the overwhelming majority of U.S. overdose deaths were men killed by heroin or cocaine. But by 2010, 40 percent were women - most of them middle-aged women who took prescription painkillers.

Skyrocketing overdose death rates among females are closely tied to a boom in use of prescribed painkillers. The new report is the government's first to spotlight how the death trend has been more dramatic among women.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that the number and rate of female prescription drug overdose deaths increased by around 400 percent from 1999 to 2010. For men, the increases were around 250 percent.

ATLANTA -- Thomas Eye Group, a full service eye care provider with nine locations in metro Atlanta, is celebrating the first day of summer by launching a “Summer LASIK Giveaway” contest. Facebook users desiring a LASIK procedure are asked to submit an essay explaining why they or a loved one deserves LASIK. The essay with the most votes as of 12:00 p.m. on August 1 wins a free LASIK procedure.

“This contest is a fun way for us to introduce the benefits of LASIK to a broad range of individuals in the metro area and help a deserving person reduce or eliminate the need for glasses or contacts,” said Rod Roeser, CEO for Thomas Eye Group.

ATLANTA -- The 2013 "Georgia Rides to the Capitol" event will be held through the city on Tuesday, March 26.

A spokeswoman for the ride said more than 1,000 cyclists are expected to participate, as part of the Metro Atlanta Mayors Association "GEORGIA BIKES!" program. The bike ride will be escorted by police, and run track through Decatur and Roswell. Leading the pack will be Commissioner Fred Boykin and Mayor Jere Wood, along with more city officials.

During the "Georgia Rides to the Capitol" event, cyclists hope to raise support for other types of transportation through the metro region. Plus, they hope conditions will improve to allow easier cycling, including the development of regional systems and both on-road bicycling facilities and multi-use trails.

Atlanta Track Club's Tracy Lott expects around 3,000 women to participate in the race. Runners and walkers can become a team in five divisions including mother/daughter, sister/sister, open women, masters women (age 40 - 49) and grand masters (age 50 and up).

The race will begin at 8:00 that morning, in front of Veritas Church on S. Ponce de Leon Avenue. Participants will be completing the 5K to celebrate women's health and fitness. A shirt will be given to racers, and finishers will get a flower and Smart Glass necklace.